It is not just the words that are being taught to children when they are taught Greek and Latin, it is noble and sublime things (plunder, war, and slavery).

Adolphe Thiers, quoted by Frédéric Bastiat
Part 3 of 8
Pamphlets

Of course, the words in parenthesis have been added by Frédéric Bastiat in this quote from the Report on Secondary Education from 1844. They are eloquent nonetheless! I find this way of pointing out what politicians omit to express in their speeches particularly funny.

In any case, what is exposed here is the power of an education system as a propaganda tool for the government. If there were only one thing to remember from the tragedies observed under the communist regimes of the 20th century, this is it: brainwashing within the education system. The immediate consequences of children blowing the whistle on their parents for not thinking along the party line can be horrendous but on top of that, brainwashing places the future in jeopardy because it will have to be reconstructed by those very people who will have been submitted to government propaganda.

Other quotes from Baccalaureate and Socialism:
Part 1 of 8 – Part 2 of 8 – Part 4 of 8 – Part 5 of 8 – Part 6 of 8 – Part 7 of 8 – Part 8 of 8